Helen Davison: "election has put Greens on the map"

9 May 2015

The 2015 Elections saw Carlisle & Eden Green Party for the first time standing candidates in every City Council seat across the Carlisle constituency, as well as General Election candidates in both Carlisle and Penrith & The Border constituencies.

This increase in the General Election vote reflected the continuing Green surge across the country, with more than one million people voting Green, four times higher than in any previous General Election. Helen Davison thanked Green voters:

"I want to thank the one million voters, Carlisle and beyond who despite our first-past-the-post system, voted with the courage of their convictions for a more compassionate and caring society that looks to the future, rather than just short-term self-interest.

"I am heartened to know you are all out there. We have a lot to do after this election but let's keep up the fight. It has just got massively greater, but all the more reason for us to keep going.

"This election has put the Greens on the map. We're offering politics of hope not fear - for the future and the common good."

Deposit saved in Penrith & The Border

The Green Party stood in Penrith & The Border for the first time since 1992 and candidate Bryan Burrow polled 2,313 votes. Bryan was encouraged by gaining enough of the vote share to retain the deposit:

"We've improved in every seat, saving over one hundred deposits and coming third in over a dozen seats. The Party had never come second place in a General Election til now, with us polling second in several seats.

"We need to really push for proportional representation so we can have a democracy that actually reflects the views of the people its supposed to represent."

An effective local Green Party

St Aidans ward candidate Leah Cameron thanked Local Elections voters:

"Thank you everyone who voted for us, your support means we can go on and do even better in the next local elections. With the Conservatives back in power there is even more to fight for.

"It is up to all of us push environmental issues to the front of the political agenda. Just because we did not win any local council seats does not mean that we cannot have a voice in Carlisle. Just because we did not vote for their parties does not mean that they do not represent us - we have to make them represent all of their constituents, we have to make our voice heard."

General Election Agent John Reardon thanked candidates and supporters:

"A huge thank you to all our candidates, especially Helen, Bryan and Leah. We've demanded a lot of them and they have done us proud.

"Members and supporters have taken on all sorts of jobs, gaining valuable campaign experience. It's thanks to this effective team that we've fielded a record number of local candidates and got the excellent media coverage needed to get our message out loudly and clearly."

Neil Boothman, Local Elections Agent added:

"Even if we didn't get the result we hoped for, support for the Green Party here has grown, indicated by our increased vote. Our ongoing aim to get a Green councillor elected hasn't changed and we're within striking distance of that."

For full details of our General and Local Election results, please refer to our Elections page.